SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (April 10, 2013) - The Graduate Counseling Department of John Brown University has earned designation as an Approved Center of Play Therapy Education by the Association for Play Therapy (APT).

With this designation, John Brown University will offer play therapy graduate and supervisor training courses in addition to generating publications and presentations to benefit students, faculty and practitioners. These programs may be applied to satisfy state licensing requirements and to earn the Registered Play Therapist (RPT) and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor (RPT-S) credentials conferred by APT.

“John Brown University is strongly committed to providing high quality play therapy training to enable clinicians to better serve the mental health needs of our communities through the use of play therapy,” said Dr. Charles Romig, professor of counselor education, licensed marriage and family therapist and registered play therapist. “We are honored to be recognized by the Association for Play Therapy as an Approved Center of Play Therapy Education.”

“Because the rapidly increasing use of play therapy is also boosting demand for more university play therapy programs, APT applauds John Brown University for establishing the Center,” says APT CEO Bill Burns, CAE. “We are confident that, under the leadership of Dr. Romig, it will significantly advance our growing field and serve those who counsel clients, particularly children, in schools, public agencies, private practices and other venues.”

The Play Therapy Institute is part of the Graduate Counseling Department, which will oversee the training. The John Brown University CARE Clinics, located around the state, will serve as practice play therapy sites.

APT, a national professional society, estimates that play therapy is routinely utilized by thousands of licensed psychologists, social workers, counselors, and marriage and family therapists within and outside of the United States. Noting membership has doubled during the last decade, Burns said nearly 16 percent of accredited universities now offer some combination of play therapy graduate instruction and supervised play therapy experiences.

John Brown University is a private Christian university, ranked No. 2 overall and No. 1 Best Value among Southern regional colleges by U.S. News & World Report and listed as one of America’s Best Colleges by Forbes. JBU enrolls more than 2,200 students from 40 states and 39 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, degree completion and concurrent education programs. JBU is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities and a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.